Filing cabinet



,1970 E. J. HILS 3,544,187

- FILING CABINET Filed Oct. 23, 1968 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M/VfA/TOK [Q4/1557 I A045 Arron/5r Dec. 1, 1910 E, HILS' j 3,544,187

FILING CABINET Filed Oct. 25. 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H63, v r

United States Patent 3,544,187 FILlNG CABINET Ernest J. Hils, Tonawanda, N.Y., assignor to Sperry Rand Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaare Filed Oct. 23, 1968, Ser. No. 769,933 Int. Cl. A47b 88/00 U.S. Cl. 312-331 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A filing cabinet having an outer casing adapted to accommodate at least one drawer or shelf suspended for relative movement with respect thereto. The casing is in the form of a shell comprising a back panel and two side panels extending from opposing edges of the back panel to define a compartment. Access to the compartment is gained through an open front portion through which a drawer or shelf is adpated to move into and out of the shell by virtue of a support mechanism mounted within the casing. A stabilizing mechanism operates in conjunction with the support mechanism to directionally stabilize the drawer under conditions where the drawer is moving relative to the shell.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improved filing cabinet and more particularly to a new and useful mechanism for stabilizing a filing cabinet drawer, or the like, suspended for movement relative to an associated casing in which it is supported.

For convenience, the description hereinafter is set forth in terms of filing cabinets of the type commonly found in an office for storage of documents; however, it will be apparent that the nature of the present invention does not preclude its utilization with any device in which a drawer is suspended for relative movement from one position to another. It should also be noted that although reference is made to a drawer throughout this description, it is intended that reference thereto encompass any drawerlike structure mounted in a suspended manner for transporting discreet articles from a storage area to an accessible area through a common path of travel. For example, a movable shelf has characteristics similar to a drawer when considering the adaptability of both to be moved into and out of a cabinet shell or casing.

Now turning to the prior art, there are certain types of filing cabinets commonly referred to as lateral filing cabinets in that the contents of the suspended drawers therein are made accessible by withdrawing the drawer in a lateral manner, i.e., the outwardly facing surface has a width dimension that is relatively large with respect to the depth dimension in contradistinction to the drawers suspended in cabinets that are typically referred to as vertical filing cabinets. A common problem in both vertical and lateral type cabinets, but more accented in the lateral type, is the need for directionally stabilizing drawer during translation thereof into and out of the the cabinet in which it is stored. If means are not provided for preventing yawing, operation is hindered or even prevented due to jamming of the drawer. To counteract this lack of stability in the past, various mechanisms have been utilized to assure that both sides of the drawer move in unison. Examples of old and well-known methods are illustrated by the pulley and cable arrangement disclosed in U.S. Pat. 363,647 and by the rack and pinion arrangement disclosed in U.S. Pat. 327,104.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved system for stabilizing a filing cabinet drawer during translation thereof into and out of the 3,544,187 Patented Dec. 1, 1970 'ice cabinet casing, which system utilizes a new and economical mechanism that lends itself to simple rugged fabrication while enhancing the operability of the cabinet without sacrificing mobility.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows, in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings wherein one principal embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed as defining the limits of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed in general to an improved drawer motion control system for a filing cabinet, or the like. In one embodiment the improved system is contemplated for a cabinet having a shell and at least one drawer supported for movement into and out of the shell. The shell comprises a back panel and two side panels extending therefrom to define a compartment accessible through an open front portion of the shell. The drawer in the preferred embodiment is substantially rectangular in horizontal cross section and includes an article confining area defined by a back and two parallel sides extending therefrom to form opposing rear corners on the drawer. Under stored conditions the drawer is at rest in the shell with the rear corners adjacent the back panel.

The present invention specifically features a drawer motion control system including a suspension mechanism in combination with a unique stabilizing assembly comprising a horizontally disposed hinge arranged between the corner portions of the drawer. The hinge is aflixed to both the drawer and the shell for pivotal action to directionally stabilize the drawer under conditions where it is moving into or out of the shell. A further feature shown in the upreferred embodiment is the unique hinge stabilizing means in combination with vertically disposed hinges suspending the drawer. This novel combination of three interrelated hinges is made possible by virtue of the above discussed stabilizing assembly, and cooperation therebetween facilitates the mentioned simple, rugged and economical advantages of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a filing cabinet (partly cutaway) in which the improved drawer motion control system of the persent invention is embodied.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings for a more detailed description of the present invention, a single-drawer lateral filing cabinet generally designated by reference numeral 10, is shown in FIG. 1 to illustrate by way of example apparatus in which one embodiment of the present invention may be readily employed. Cabinet 10 may be a modular unit adapted for convenient stacking, or a self-contained individual unit. Regardless of the cabinet style, i.e., one drawer or several drawers, the manner in which the suspension mechanism and stabilizing assembly are associated therewith is relatively unchanged.

Cabinet 10, generally comprises drawer 11, as gener- 3 ally depicted throughout FIGS. 1-4, supported for move ment into and out of a shell 12. A top 13, two side walls, 14 and 15, a rearwall 16, and a base 17 are secured together to form generally rectangular shell 12. An open front portion of the shell provides accessibility through which drawer 11 is moved in a reciprocal fashion. Standardsecuring means, such as welding or screwing, may

be used to permanently afiix the shell elements to each other at their common edges or, alternatively, a releasable arrangement such as clips or nuts and bolts may be employed. Choice of securing means does not contribute to theimportance of the present invention and accordingly such structure is not shown in detail.

The drawer 11 comprises a front panel 18, with any conventional drawer pull (not shown) attached thereto, opposing side panels, 20 and 21, a rear panel 22, and a bottom panel 23 securely aflixed together in a conventionalmanner to provide a rectangular-shaped drawer suspended for reciprocal movement into and out of shell 12 in the manner now to be described. A pair of identical hinges 24 and 25 disposed rearwardly at the sides of shell 12 suspend drawer 11. Hinge 24 comprises a first suspension hinge plate 26 pivotally connected at one end to rear 'fwall 16 by vertically extending suspension pivot pin 27, an L-shaped bracket portion 28 secured to shell 12 (seefIG. 2), a second suspension hinge plate 30 pivotally connected at one end to the other end of plate 26 by vertically extending suspension pivot pin 31. The other end of plate 30 is pivotally connected, by vertically extending suspension pivot pin 32, to side panel 20 by bracket 33. Hinge 25 is comprised, likewise, from plates 26" and 30, brackets 28 and 33', and pivot pins-27', 31' and 32'.

Guidance for drawer 11 is provided by a pair of rearward y extending ,race members, 34 and 35, afiixed to bottom panel 23, and a roller 36 mounted in a bracket 37 registering with each race to provide a bearing surface. flhis mechanism readily guides the drawer in a wellknown manner; however, very little stability is afforded from ,these bearing and race combinations, under conditions where the drawer is not pulled with equal forces applied to both sides. The guidance arrangement also provides a certain amount of supportfor drawer 11 as an aid to hinges 24 and 25; however, under conditions where the main load force is extending beyond the cabinet, little or no assistance is rendered.

It is a principal feature of the present invention that drawer 11 is stabilized during reciprocal motion by a novel mechanism comprising a horizontally disposed hinge, generally designated by reference numeral 38 and comprising a pair of binge plates, 40 and 41, operatively connected by a horizontally extending pivot pin 42. Plate 41 is pivotally secured to rear wall 16 by virtue of pivot pin 43, which hingedly interrelates plate 41 with an L- shaped bracket 44.In a similar manner, plate 40 is secured to drawer 11 via pivot pin 45 and bracket 46. The cross section of bracket 46 (see FIG. 3) enables securement to be effected along the bottomsurface of panel 23 as well as a small portion of the rear surface of panel 22, thus lending rigidity to the stationary end of the hinge stabilizing mechanism.

Another common suspension arrangement that lends itself equally as well for cooperative functioning with the stabilizing arrangement mentioned above is the combination of.cantilever type arms running on slides or rollers relativeto horizontal rails aflixed to the interior of the cabinet casing. Incantilever suspension there is still need for stabilizing the suspended drawer during reciprocal plate connected by third vertically extending suspension motion thereof, and the need is especially prominent in mediate position between fully-extended position and fullystored position of drawer 11. This type of suspension is not shown in detail since it is well known in the present state of the filing cabinet art. Stabilizing hinge 38, regardless of the suspension arrangement employed, folds upwardly under conditions where the drawer is pushed to a closed position from the position illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 2. Conversely, the hinge opens and pivot pin 42 moves downwardly when the drawer is moved outwardly from the position depicted by the drawings. This horizontal hinge disposition coupled with the inherent rigidity thereof eliminates (by counteracting) turning moment experienced when the drawer is pulled with an unevenly disturbed outward force on drawer 11. Likewise, the same counteracting moment provides stability during return of the drawer from its extended position to a stored position within the cabinet casing. Thus, yaw is eliminated, smooth askewfree operation is possible, and uneven operation resulting in jamming of the motion control system is substantially eliminated.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by way of example, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Various changes may be made in the design and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims, as will now be understood by those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved file cabinet having a shell and at least one drawer supported for movement into and out of the shell, wherein said shell comprises a back panel and two side panels extending therefrom to define a compartment accessible through an open front portion of the shell, and said drawer includes a substantially rectangulararticle accommodating area defined by a rectangular base disposed horizontally with the lateral dimension exceeding the front-to-back dimension and a back and two opposing sides extending therefrom to form opposing equallength rear corner edges on said drawer, wherein the improvement comprises a drawer motion control system, including in combination,

(a) suspension means for supporting said drawer in mobile relation with respect to said shell,

(b) said suspension means including first and second hinge assemblies for supportably connecting said drawer to said shell, said assemblies extending in accordion fashion between the vicinity of said opposiing corner edges of said drawer and said shell, an

(c) stabilizing means comprising a horizontally disposed hinge assembly projecting from the drawer intermediate said first and second hinge assemblies and afiixed to said shell for directionally stabilizing said drawer under conidtions where it is moving into or out of the shell.

2. An improved file cabinet as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second hinge assemblies each comprise a first suspension hinge plate having one end connected by first vertically extending suspension pivot means to a vertical corner portion adjacent said back panel of said shell and a second suspension hinge plate having one end connected by second vertically extending suspension pivot means to the other end of said first suspension hinge plate and the other end of said second suspension hinge pivot means to said opposing drawer sides in the vicinity of said rear corner edges, and said first, second and third vertical suspension pivot means extending along axes a predetermined distance equal to at least one half of the length of the corner edges.

3. An improved file cabinet as set forth in claim 2 wherein said horizontally disposed hinge assembly comprises a first hinge plate having one end connected by first pivot means to the back panel of said shell and a second hinge plate having one end connected by second pivot means to the other end of said first hinge plate and the other end of said second hinge plate connected by third pivot means to said drawer in the vicinity of the intersection between the base and back portions.

4. An improved file cabinet as set forth in claim 3 wherein said first, second and third pivot means of said horizontally disposed hinge assembly have parallel axes about which said respective hinge plates rotate, which axes extend horizontally between the side panels of said shell, and said pivot means extend therealong a distance not less than said predetermined distance.

5. An improved file cabinet as set forth in claim 3 wherein said suspension means further include bearing means supportably mounted on said shell, and slide means mounted on said drawer adapted for cooperation with said bearing means under conditions where said drawer is moving into or out of the shell.

6. An improved file cabinet as set forth in claim 5 wherein said first, second and third pivot means of said horizontally disposed hinge assembly have parallel axes about which said respective hinge plates, rotate, which axes extend horizontally between the side panels of said shell.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 874,581 12/1907 Flood 312-331 3,178,248 4/1965 Bridwell 312331 3,330,613 7/1967 Barth 312-331 JAMES T. McCALL, Primary Examiner US Cl. X.R. 312110 

